July 19, 2010 issue
MC USA considers moving Arizona convention
Hispanic churchwide group requests move from Phoenix
By Celeste Kennel-Shank Mennonite Weekly ReviewMennonite Church USA is wondering if it should stay or it should go.
The denomination plans to have its 2013 convention in Phoenix. But since Arizona’s governor signed SB 1070 in April, aimed at prosecuting undocumented immigrants, leaders are considering moving the event to another state — even if it means losing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
MC USA is planning to send a delegation to the city in August to observe the effects of the law, which is due to go into effect July 29. Some opponents believe the law will promote racial profiling of Hispanic people, though the bill text (available as a PDF) says race can’t be the sole factor for prosecuting someone.
Iglesia Menonita Hispana (Hispanic Mennonite Church), or IMH, a constituency group of MC USA, has formally requested that the denomination withdraw the convention from Phoenix. Other members have contacted denominational leaders as well.
“We’re getting responses from both sides and in the middle,” said Glen Guyton, MC USA associate executive director of constituent resources.
Meanwhile, Mennonite churches in the Phoenix area — from several denominations — have varied ideas about the law.
The new Arizona law would require police to attempt to determine the immigration status of a person if they have reasonable suspicion that person is living in the United States illegally.
The U.S. Justice Department has sued Arizona to block the law from going into effect as planned July 29. The lawsuit contends the Arizona law would hamper federal immigration enforcement. If the case goes to the Supreme Court, it may strike down the law.
Guyton and Rachel Swartzendruber Miller, MC USA director of convention planning, traveled to Phoenix in mid-June to meet with the vice mayor, chief of police, city manager, hotel representatives and the convention visitors bureau to share MC USA’s concerns, especially those from Hispanic Mennonites.
“We really wanted to look at the contract, and let the hotels and the city know what challenges we were facing,” he said.
Comments
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The people of this region clearly need JESUS! The border area is a horrible place to try to survive and is virtually absent of the GOSPEl. Therefore the presence of Christian organizations of any size or type are a plus. You have no idea what it is like until you have been there. The crime, drugs and general disregard for order are so bad that people in Mexico have gone to worshiping a new saint; one they call Sacre Morte or Holy Death. (Hope I spelled that right.) Any way, the dear people of this region don't need politics. They need JESUS!. So I think it is foolish to make a political decision to try and punish a government ordained by GOD. We don't know why GOD allows what HE does, but we do know that he a has always used suffering to draw HIS children to HIM and to make HIS disciples more bold and effective. Now, go out and preach the GOSPEL!
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Denomination leaders and convention planners have a difficult task here. The pressure to withdraw leads them to ask what to do instead of proceeding with plans to meet in Phoenix. As someone who supports withdrawing from Phoenix, I want our leaders to know that I support them thinking outside the box as far as alternatives. This could mean canceling the convention altogether, postponing one year and starting a new bi-annual convention cycle, or coming up with a radically different way of conducting the 2013 convention.
We need to be gracious in terms of accepting a strategy that could look a lot different than what we're used to.
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I would prefer the Mennonite Church not get caught up in the hysteria surrounding the Arizona law. As for the boycott, boycotts only hurt those who can least afford it. The church not going to Arizona for conference could mean the lose of jobs for some of those we are expressing concern for.
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Under the present circumstances Mennonite Church USA should not meet in Arizona. Some of our brothers and sisters are not welcome and others feel unwelcome. I would not attend, and would not support my own congregation's or youth group's attendance. If MC USA cannot take a principled stand against this anti-immigrant hysteria afoot in the country, who can?
A few seminars, workshops or marches will not change the fact that we would be bringing huge economic benefit to a state that has taken the lead in actions that are not acceptable to us.
That said, I am glad there is a little more time to decide. The courts may throw out the Arizona law, which would change some of the issues. On the other hand, if the Arizona law is upheld, other states are just waiting to get onto the immigrant-bashing bandwagon, and it may be that there will be quite a few states where MC USA should not meet.
I agree with Joseph (earlier post) who said that we need to think outside the box. His suggestions are good, and I am sure there are other alternatives.
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Look, your focus is on the wrong institution. Immigration reform and law comes from the federal government. Arizona is bound by the constitution of the USA and it's own constitution. The only tool it has to protect it's citizens is through the federal law. The new Az law is only an enforcement of current federal law. It makes clear no les than seven times in it's 110pages that at no time can an officer consider race as ground for questioning. It also makes clear that only those who have already violated another law can be questioned. NO RANDOM ENFORCEMENR!!! The drug cartell is too powerful and dangerous to just allow an open border policy. There is only one place in the worl where a person is more likely to be kidnapped than the northern border of Mexico; Columbia. Beheadings have also become all too commonplace. I have been to this region many times. (Loredo, Tijuana, Tecatate, etc.) I love the country and the people, especially Tecate, but there is a problem much bigger than Az,. law. We have an opportunity to not only support the innocent people of both sides ofthe border but to also spotlight the problem of a federal law that is too narrow. We need to be working to get congress to change federal law to allow more legal immigration after that the Arizona law will neccesarily follow. But we cannot put the burden of open borders on the innnocent people living along the border when it comes with such a high price. The number of people killed both innocent and drug lords is coountless and frightening. How many died without JESUS because we are too busy playing politics? Will JESUS be proud that we stoodup to the Az. law while people died. Is that the GOSPEL? Would this problem even exist if there was a spreading of the GOSPEL there like the there is in China? What would happen if even 30% of the population was borna again Christians spreading the good news. Go out and preach the GOSPEL!
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Richard, You are right in asking that we proclaim the Gospel. A number of years ago, Francis Schaeffer wrote a book, How Should We Then Live. He wrote about secondary effects of proclaiming the Gospel. Those secondary effects included positive changes in society. The passage on the armor of God can teach us the same things. I think we need to become clear again on our mission to proclaim the Gospel, that Christ died to forgive our sins, to reconcile us to God.
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Seems like the gospel message would ring a little hollow--as per holding the convention in Arizona--if it tacitly supports a state that has chosen to eliminate humanity and appeal to base racism and xenophobia in solving its drug problems. Native American missionaries preceding the cavalry, anyone?
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Richard, the purpose of these national conventions is not evangelism. I can tell you that if it was I wouldn't go. We should leave it to the local churches to be salt and light to their communities and do the same in our own.
You're points about the Arizona law do challenge my assumptions about it. I will have to read more about it and be open to having my assumptions turned over.
Regardless, if a clear majority of Hispanic Mennonites do not feel safe or welcome going to Arizona then I believe the denomination is obliged to back out.
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It appears, Joseph, that you are using the USA secular meaning of evangelism. As Daniel writes, the true meaning of evangelism is preaching the Gospel. We can't leave being salt and light at home when we go to the Assembly. If we do, we probably are not salt and light at home either. I'm glad both meanings of evangelism takes place at our national Assemblies. The gospel is preached and people are evangelized. I wonder why you do not want to be evangelized or want other people to be evangelized? That is our mission!
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But won't our "light" be so intense and awesome that the poor lost souls of Phoenix will still be rubbing their eyes and blinking back their vision as we all hop on our jet planes to fly back to our own suffering communities where we attend church with people like us and say daily prayers for "positive changes in society" that never escape the roofs of our comfortable middle class houses?
I suppose there are a thousand ways to interpret "evangelism" or "preaching the gospel." I do believe that our conventions affect a small witness to the population around us, but I doubt that social commentators in Columbus are talking today about the renewed sense of energy and passion that has been sustained in their city ever since those Mennonites came into town, stayed in their fancy hotels, and convened meetings inside their air conditioned conference center. "Goodness," they must be saying, "the streets are still clean from all the litter they picked up on their service projects and to boot the locals are living lives of radical service to God's kingdom!"
I don't mean to say that the Spirit can't do miraculous things in people's lives. It could be a small instance of evangelism that changes one person forever, and that would be invaluable, and surely we should pray for the Spirit to work in these ways with the people we meet. But let's get real about the actual impact of Mennonite conventions on the people around them. Let's also be real and admit that one place is basically as good as the next for preaching the Gospel. Most importantly, let's admit that while we must consistently be salt and light wherever we go, real change comes from long term relationship-building with people and communities.
For reference sake, here is a link to an explanation of the purpose of convention:
http://www.mennoniteusa.org/Home/Convention/Pittsburgh2011/WhyCome/Purpose/tabid/1444/Default.aspx
Number 7 of 8 is "Serve and be a witness to the local community." So I guess that we could say evangelism (interpreted as serving and witnessing...vaguely speaking) is one purpose of convention.
The reason I would not go to conventions if the primary purpose were evangelism is because it feels pretentious to travel a long way to share my wisdom with other people who I know nothing about.
If it were determined that the people of Phoenix had a particular need for Menno evangelism that no other city had, then we would still have to contend with the fact that many Hispanic Mennonites don't feel safe there. With that we butt up against the eighth purpose of conventions (see previous link): to "Create an opportunity for all parts of Mennonite Church USA to gather, regardless of participants’ race, ethnicity, gender, age, geographic location or socioeconomic status."
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I was referring to evangelism within the convention halls. I have heard of it and I have observed it first and second hand. The old tent revivals were not for those outside the tent. They were for those inside. If conventions are not for the insiders, we must cancel them!
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I see now. I apologize for the misunderstanding.
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I'm not sure if this comment will get to the Executive Board before their August 12 & 13 meeting to decide if Conference will be held in Phoenix or not in 2013, but I feel if we have already put so much money down, we should go ahead and hold conference in Phoenix. I feel it gives our church the opportunity to be heard and make a statement about the 1070 Bill, instead of backing out and losing that great amount of money that should have gone to missions or another worthy cause. If we don't hold conference in Phoenix, the general public won't have a chance to hear what Mennonites might have to say about the bill, and we'll disappear into thin air.
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